Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP-led Centre over fuel price hikes, accusing it of ‘instalment loot’. He said the govt hoards tax revenue while petrol crosses Rs 100, unlike other nations that offered public relief.
Kharge Accuses Centre of ‘Instalment Loot’
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led Central government following the latest round of fuel price hikes, accusing the ruling party of allegedly draining the common man’s earnings in “instalments”.
In a post on X, Kharge highlighted that petrol prices have breached the critical Rs 100 per litre mark in several regions. He accused the government of hoarding massive revenues through central taxes while failing to offer a cushion or financial relief to the public.
Kharge asserted that the Centre generates a daily central tax revenue of Rs 1,000 from petrol and diesel alone, yet its “appetite isn’t satisfied”. He sharply criticised the government’s pricing strategy, stating that when international crude oil prices dropped in the past, the financial benefits were entirely withheld from citizens.
“Petrol has now crossed Rs 100. This time around. Looting the public’s earnings in installments! The BJP’s appetite isn’t satisfied even after slapping a central tax of Rs 1000 crore daily on petrol-diesel. When international prices were low, they didn’t pass on the benefits to the people–instead, they looted them relentlessly. When the crisis hit, they dove headfirst into elections, and after the elections, they preached sacrifice,” he wrote in the post.
Comparison with International Relief Measures
Rebutting the administration’s claims that fuel prices in India remain lower than in foreign nations, Kharge provided a comparative breakdown of how international governments stepped in to protect consumers during the recent West Asia energy crisis.
“Then, in just 8 days, they hiked petrol-diesel prices three times. We were told that prices in India are the lowest compared to foreign countries. When the war in West Asia broke out and PM Modi was busy feeding us Indians the “everything’s fine” sedative, other countries were providing relief to their citizens. 1. Italy cut excise on fuel, giving their people some relief. 2. Australia reduced excise duty, slashing petrol prices by about ₹17 per liter for citizens. 3. Germany lowered taxes on oil, reducing fuel prices by ₹17-₹19 per liter. 4. The UK provided £100 in oil aid to households and cut taxes on fuel and electricity. 5. Ireland’s EUR250 million relief package brought petrol prices down by about EUR0.15/liter and diesel by EUR0.20/liter,” he wrote.
Kharge Questions PM Modi
Kharge concluded by targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding transparency regarding the surging revenues. “@narendramodi ji, tell us– Who all are getting a share of this installment-based loot? Why are you so compromised? The real crisis in this government is one of leadership– 140 crore Indians have now figured that out,” he wrote.
Context of Rising Fuel Prices
The Congress President’s remarks came amid another hike in fuel prices, continuing the recent upward trend in petrol and diesel rates. Petrol and diesel prices were increased again across major metropolitan cities on Saturday, marking the third fuel price hike in less than 10 days amid continuing volatility in global energy markets.
The repeated hikes come amid a call for fuel conservation as the world faces an energy crisis amid the West Asia conflict, which led to a blockade in the significant maritime trade route, the Strait of Hormuz. (ANI)
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